By Noreen Doll. Shamrocks can be a bit tricky to make look nice and even, but here's an easy way to make a shamrock. All you need is one heart, and you can make any size shamrock depending on the size of heart you use. Here's how you do it. Supplies. 1 Heart (How to make a heart pattern.) 1 Sheet of Paper Pencil with Eraser An Easy Way to Make a … [Read more...] about Easy Way to Make a Shamrock
How To
How to Cut Holes in the Middle of Something
By Noreen Doll. I make lots of projects that require holes in the middle where they are hard to cut. Here is an easy way to cut holes in the middle of something. If the item is soft and flexible and bends easily, cut the hole like this. Fold the item in half so you can see half of the hole on either side. Using sharp scissors, cut a small slit in the … [Read more...] about How to Cut Holes in the Middle of Something
A Fast Way to Heal Chapped Hands
By Noreen Doll. My hands often get very chapped. I wash them frequently, which is hard on them. And in the winter time they dry out as well. I've tried all kinds of lotions and oils, which help some, but my hands can still be uncomfortable. Recently, I rubbed a Vaporizing Chest Rub (Vicks is one brand) all over my hands just before I went to bed. I couldn't … [Read more...] about A Fast Way to Heal Chapped Hands
How to Remove Furniture Dents from Carpet
By Noreen Doll. Recently I decided to move a heavy bookcase from where it had been sitting for several years. Once the bookcase was gone, there remained a deep imprint in the flattened carpet fibers where the bottom edges of the bookcase had been sitting. I had read about using ice cubes to rejuvenate dents in carpeting, so I decided to try it. I laid ice … [Read more...] about How to Remove Furniture Dents from Carpet
Sharpen Decorative Edge Scissors
By Noreen Doll. Decorative edge scissors are fun to use, and they leave pretty edges on paper projects. A good tip for using the scissors is to not cut quite all the way to the tip when you are cutting. Stop a short distance from the end and then realign the scissors to continue cutting. Cutting all the way to the end can cause the paper to tear instead of … [Read more...] about Sharpen Decorative Edge Scissors
How to Fix a Rusted Paper Punch
By Noreen Doll. I came across an old paper punch that had belonged to my folks. It had been around for quite a while, and because it was old, it was a very well made tool. But, unfortunately, it had rusted some on the inside, and when I squeezed it shut it stayed that way. I had to pry it open again to release it. I was going to dispose of it, but because it … [Read more...] about How to Fix a Rusted Paper Punch
How to Prevent Cord Ends from Fraying While You Work
By Noreen Doll. Do you ever try to thread ribbon or twine through a punched hole only to have the end fray and spread in all directions? One clever remedy I've discovered is to put a drop or two of white glue on my finger tip and then stick the end of the twine in the glue and rub the glue all over the end. Twist the end of the twine in the direction that … [Read more...] about How to Prevent Cord Ends from Fraying While You Work
Folded Paper Pocket for a Book
By Noreen Doll. It's handy to know how to make a folded pocket for a book, because pockets are really handy for containing loose papers, and books usually come without pockets. I like to put at least one (usually more than one) in most books I make. And they are easy to add to a 3 ring binder, too. Here's how to make a folded paper pocket for a … [Read more...] about Folded Paper Pocket for a Book
Easy Way to Hide Paint Drips
By Noreen Doll. Here's an easy way to hide paint drips when you're painting. Our kitchen / dining room has a lot of brown trim in it, including a chair rail that goes around the dining room walls. Recently we painted the ceiling and walls, and while doing the ceiling, several drops of paint dripped onto the wood trim. By the time we noticed the paint drips, they … [Read more...] about Easy Way to Hide Paint Drips
How to Repair a Paperback Book
By Noreen Doll. I was asked if I could repair a paperback book with a glued binding that had several of the pages falling out. This is a large (8 1/2 x 11) drawing book that was often left open for referral, and as a consequence many of the pages had become loose. Because I wanted to cut off as little as possible to preserve the content, I narrowly shaved off the … [Read more...] about How to Repair a Paperback Book
How to Sharpen a Punch
By Noreen Doll. Do you need to sharpen a punch? Any kind of punch can be sharpened this way. I was punching holes around the edges of a Christmas card to make it into a sewing card for preschoolers. After punching a few holes, I noticed the punch was not punching cleanly, and it was leaving raggedy looking holes. You can punch aluminum foil to sharpen … [Read more...] about How to Sharpen a Punch
How to Tie a Tiny Bow
By Noreen Doll. Here's a quick and easy way to tie a tiny bow. To tie this bow all you need is a length of narrow ribbon, twine, or string. For this bow I used 1/8 inch wide ribbon. I did the photos with twine because the ribbon wouldn't lay properly for the camera to photograph. 1. Make 2 loops with about 2 inches or so of twine or ribbon between … [Read more...] about How to Tie a Tiny Bow
